HOW TO STAY MENTALLY MOTIVATED
How to stay mentally motivated
Everyone is susceptible to falling off the motivation train. Staying mentally on task all the time is a nearly impossible task for almost anyone. Below are a few tips to help you through periods of checking out mentally. These tips can be applied to fitness or life in general.
Set a goal or deadline
Having a goal or deadline that you are working toward will force action even when you are not feeling up to it. As an example, I'm now writing this blog and it has been a struggle for me to start or even work on at various points. The motivating factor keeping me going right now is my Friday deadline. If I didn't have a deadline, I would constantly put the work off til later and continue to lose motivation.
The same can be said for a fitness-related goal.
Wanting to feel strong, confident, and ready for an upcoming vacation or wedding can be a good reminder to yourself when you are feeling like skipping a workout.
Find an accountability partner
Having someone else to give you a push forward when you're feeling unmotivated can be very helpful. A great example of this is a personal trainer (shameless plug).
Having a personal trainer means making an appointment with someone else. This appointment with someone else means that when you feel unmotivated if you skip your workout, you will be letting someone else down.
Yes, this is guilt-based, but it works for getting you to do something you do not want to do when you are feeling unmotivated.
Take a break
Sometimes feeling unmotivated is a symptom of burnout. This means taking some time off and giving yourself some rest. Keeping your nose to the grindstone 24/7 365 is a good way to burn yourself out.
This break could be a short 10-minute break, just step away to do something you enjoy I.e. reading a book, listening to your favorite song, or taking a walk. This could also be a longer break like a long weekend or vacation to give yourself time to reboot and come back stronger.
If you are interested in scheduling a fitness assessment to talk with a personal trainer and set yourself up with some new goals, click the link here!